Single-Molecule Flow Platform for the Quantification of Biomolecules Attached to Single Nanoparticles

Anal Chem. 2018 May 15;90(10):6089-6095. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b00024. Epub 2018 Apr 26.

Abstract

We describe here a flow platform for quantifying the number of biomolecules on individual fluorescent nanoparticles. The platform combines line-confocal fluorescence detection with near nanoscale channels (1-2 μm in width and height) to achieve high single-molecule detection sensitivity and throughput. The number of biomolecules present on each nanoparticle was determined by deconvolving the fluorescence intensity distribution of single-nanoparticle-biomolecule complexes with the intensity distribution of single biomolecules. We demonstrate this approach by quantifying the number of streptavidins on individual semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots); streptavidin was rendered fluorescent using biotin-Alexa647. This flow platform has high-throughput (hundreds to thousands of nanoparticles detected per second) and requires minute amounts of sample (∼5 μL at a dilute concentration of 10 pM). This measurement method is an additional tool for characterizing synthetic or biological nanoparticles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Biotin / chemistry
  • Fluorescence
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Semiconductors
  • Streptavidin / analysis*

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Polymers
  • Biotin
  • Streptavidin